Combined brake beam and bottom rod support



April 12, 1938. .J.' L. ORTNER COMBI-NEO BRAKE OBI SAM AND BOTTOM ROD SUPPORT Filed July 20, 1957 J L. Orfzzer.

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Joseph L. (lrtner, elm a, (mic Appllcaticn'lnly as, loss, Serial No. 154,671 it claims. (oi. its-21o) This invention relates to safety mechanism for railway cars and more particularly to a combined brakebeam and bottom rod support for the brake rigging thereof. v

The object of the invention is to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensive device ofthe character described which may be economically stamped, punchedor otherwise'formed from a single sheet of metal'and in which the bottom rod support or stirrup is offset with respect to the vertical plane of the spring board'engaging hook so as to provide additional strength at the junction of the stirrup andbrakeheam supporting arm and consequently prevent accidental bending or breakage of the bracket at the point subjected to the most strain.

A further object'ofthe invention is to provide a safety device including an integral bracket, the bottom rod support or stirrup of whloh is formed by bending the metal downwardly at opposite sides of the brake beam supporting arm' and at a point intermediate the length of said arm whereby the stirrup will be the proper length to support the bottom rod without the necessity ofbending the lower end of the stirrup to prevent track interference while at the same time insuring full strength ofthe metal at the angle of the bracket where the greatest strength is necessary.

Astill further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of. devices so as to increase theirntility, durability and efficiency.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding all the figures of the drawing Figure l. is a vertical sectionalview of a portion of a railway car-truck showing the safety device in position thereon,

Figure-2 is a' vertical sectional view takenon the line 2--2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a top plan view,

and

Figure 4 isa perspective view of'one ofthe complete brackets.

I The improved safety device forming the subject-matter of the present invention is principally designed for application to railway car trucks and by way of illustration is shown in connection with a portion I of a truck in which 5 designates one of the brake beams, 5 the spring board and I. the brake rod which extends beneath the spring board in'the usual manner.

The device comprises a unitary structure-in the form of an integral bracket, two of which are preierably used on each truck and arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the spring board 6, but

parts ina single bracket, however, being shown in the present instance. The bracket is stamped or 0thcrwlse formed from a single sheet of metal, one end of which is bent in a vertical plane to form an upstanding portion 8 terminating in a downclined brace M connecting the upstanding portion 8 and arm H, as shown. The metal at the outer end of the arm H and at the side flanges G3 is cut or 1 severed at it and the cut orisevered portion of the metal pressed downwardly at a point intermediate the length of the supporting arm El to form an integraldepending stirrup l5,

the opening 65 of which is adapted to receive and support the brake rod 1?. By forming the stirrup l6 integral with the arm Hand extending said stirrupdownwardly at'right angles to said arm and at a point substantially midway between the opposite ends of the am, said stirrup will be of the proper length to support the brake rod l without the necessity of bending the lower end of .the rod bracket laterally to prevent track interference, which bending operation would be necessary if the cut or severed portion forming the stirrup were extended to-the angle of the bracket. Moreover, by forming the stirrup in thismanner full strength of the metal at the angle between the upstanding portion 8 and horizontal supporting arm H is assured and this strength is materially increased owing to the diagonal hollow-brace l4 connecting the vertical extension 8 with the arm i t. Furthermore, a saving in metal is effectedinasmuch as the lower or closed end of the stirrup is out directly from the end of the arm H and.

bent downwardly so that it is not necessary to which extend through co the upstanding flange'il of e spring board and serve to secure the bracket in proper position on the spring board. Owing to the fact that the 'bill of the hook 9 is relatively short, said hook will not form an obstruction or interference when securing the rivets It in position. The bracket is'placed in position on a car truck in the manner shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, that is to say;

with the hook 9 extending over the vertical flange of the spring board 6 and with the horizontal arm H disposed beneath the brake beam 5 and in which position the depending stirrup I! will support the bottom rod 1, as will be readily understood.

It will thus be seen that, there is provided a new article of manufacture embodying an integral supporting arm are stamped from a single sheet of metal, a. unitary structure 'is' provided, the parts of which coast to support the brake beam and brake rod in case of accident and without the employment of independent elements for this purpose.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A safety device for car trucks comprising-a bracket having 'means for attachment to the flange of a. spring board and provided witha horizontally disposed brake beam supporting arm, the material constituting opposite side portions of the arm being bentdownwardly in spaced relation to ends of the arm to form'a rod supporting stirrup depending therefrom at a point intermediate the length thereof.

2. A safety device for car trucks comprising a bracket having an upstanding portion terminating in a hook adapted to flt over the flange of a spring board and provided with a horizontally disposed brake beam supporting arm, the material constituting the opposite side of the arm being bent downwardly at a point intermediate the length of said arm to form a rod supporting stirrup, and means'for securing the bracket in position on the spring board. v

3. A safety device for car trucks comprising a bracket having an, upstanding portion for engagement with the flange of a spring board and provided with an. integral horizontally disposed brake beam supporting arm, said horizontal arm being cut across its front end and along its sides for a portion of its length to provide a U-shaped portion bent downwardly to form a bottom rod supporting stirrup depending from opposite sides of the front end of the uncut rear portion of the horizontal arm and offset with respect to the 'upstanding portion of said bracket.

' mug openings in at a point intermediate the length of the arm to form a depending rod supporting stirrup.

5. A safety device for car trucks comprising a bracket having an upstanding portion adapted to bearvagainst the adjacent side of the upstanding flange of a spring board and terminating in a depending hook fitting over the top of said flange, there being spaced-openingsformed in said vertical portion, a horizontal brake beam supporting arm projecting laterally from said upright portion, the material constituting the opposite side portions and front end of the arm-being bent downwardly intermediate the length of the arm to provide the arm intermediate its ends with an integral depending rod supporting stirrup, and fastening devices extending through the openings in the upstanding portion of the bracket and engaging the flange of the spring board. Y

6. A safety device for car trucks comprising a bracket having an upstanding portion terminating in a depending hook for engagement with the vertical flange of a spring board and provided with a horizontally disposed brake beam supporting arm formed with a hollow longitudinal reinforcing rib connecting the upstanding portion of the bracket with said arm, the front end and portions of the arm at opposite sides of the rib being cut to form a U.-shaped portion having its arms terminating intermediate the length of the brake beam. supporting arm and bent downwardly to form a stirrup depending from the arm at a point intermediate the length thereof. and adapted to receive and support a brake rod.

. 7. A safety device for car trucks comprising a, bracket having a vertical portion adapted to bear against the arfiacent wall of the upstanding flange of a spring board and provided with a terminal and projecting therefrom at a point substantially midway between the ends of the arm.

8. A safety device for car trucks comprising an integral bracket stamped from a single sheet of metal, one end of which is bent to form an upstanding portion terminating in a depending hook for engagement with the flange of a spring board,

the intermediate portion of the metal sheet being pressed laterally to form a horizontally disposed brake beam supporting arm and the metal at the I integralbracket stamped from a single" sheet of metaL one end of which is provided with an upstanding portion terminating in a depending relatively short hook adapted to in over'the 'upper' end of the flange of a springboard, the metal at the lower end of the upstanding portion of the bracket being bent laterally to'form a horizontally disposed brake beam supporting arm having a longitudinal reinforcing rib extending the entire length thereof and provided with a diagonal portion merging into and integral with the-upstandsupporting arm extending horizontally from the incisions pressed downwardly at a point intermediate the length of the arm to form a. depending stirrup for the reception of a bottom rod,

there being spaced openings formed in the upstanding portion of the bracket beneath the bill of the hook for the reception of fastening devices.

10. A safety device for car trucks comprising a bracket having a. vertical arm adapted for attachment to a spring board and a brake beam vertical arm, said horizontal arm being wide for a portion of its length from its inner end and hav-- ing a narrow outer portion, and a rod supporting stirrup extending downwardly from the front end of the wide inner portion and united to opposite side portions thereof.

JOSEPH L. ORTNER. 

